willow
There are four species of willow common in the UK: White, Grey, Weeping and Goat Willow. Willows and Poplars are closely related, have alternate buds and leaves but are easy to differentiate. Willow leaves are generally long and thin (apart from the Goat Willow) and have shorter and fatter catkins. Poplar leaves are triangular or diamond-shaped and catkins are long. For more information on Poplars click HERE.
Willows are pollinated by insects (Poplars are wind pollinated). Willows have male flowers on one tree and female flowers on another tree. Technically they are called ‘dioecious’ from the Greek meaning ‘2 households’. The flowers are in the form of catkins. Female and male catkins look different. Willow species easily form hybrids with other Willows. Some hybrids are natural and you may come across trees that have features of both parents. This makes identification very difficult even for experts.
For more information about Willows go here
Willows are pollinated by insects (Poplars are wind pollinated). Willows have male flowers on one tree and female flowers on another tree. Technically they are called ‘dioecious’ from the Greek meaning ‘2 households’. The flowers are in the form of catkins. Female and male catkins look different. Willow species easily form hybrids with other Willows. Some hybrids are natural and you may come across trees that have features of both parents. This makes identification very difficult even for experts.
For more information about Willows go here
